Matthew 23
1 Then Jesus speaking to the crowds and to his disciples, said:
Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples,
2 “The teachers of the Law and the Pharisees now occupy the chair of Moses.
saying, "Upon the seat of Moses the Pharisees and scribes sit.
3 Therefore practice and lay to heart everything that they tell preach but do not practice.
All which they will say unto you, observe and do; but their works do not do, because they say, and do not do.
4 While they make up heavy loads and pile them on other men’s shoulder’s they decline, themselves, to lift a finger to move them.
For they bind heavy and hard to bear burdens, and lay them on people's shoulders; but they themselves will not lift a finger to help them.
5 All their actions are done to attract attention. They widen their phylacteries, and increase the size of their tassels,
But all their works they do to be seen by others. They make their tefillin broad and enlarge the fringe of their garments,
6 and like to have the place of honour at dinner, and the best seats in the Synagogues,
and love the place of honor at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues,
7 and to be greeted in the markets with respect, and to be called ‘Rabbi’ for everybody.
the greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called 'Rabbi' by people.
8 But do not allow yourselves to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have only one Teacher, and you yourselves are all Brothers.
But you are not to be called 'Rabbi,' for one is your Teacher, and all of you are brothers.
9 And do not call any one on the earth your ‘Father,’ for your have only one Father, the heavenly Father.
Call no man on the earth your father, for one is your Father, he who is in heaven.
10 Nor must you allow yourselves to be called ‘Leaders,’ for you have only one Leader, the Christ.
Neither be called masters, for one is your master, the Christ.
11 The man who would be the greatest among you must be your servant.
But he who is greatest among you will be your servant.
12 Whoever shall exalt himself will be humbled, and whoever shall humble himself will be exalted.
Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
13 But alas for you, Teachers of the Law and Pharisees, hypocrites that you are! You turn the key of the Kingdom of Heaven in men’s faces. For you do not go in yourselves, nor yet allow those who try to go in to do so.
"But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites. For you devour the houses of widows, and for show make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation.
14 Alas for you, Teachers of the Law and Pharisees, hypocrites that you are! You destroy widow’s houses, even while pretending to make long prayers; therefore you shall receive greater condemnation.
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites. For you shut up the kingdom of heaven in front of people; for you do not enter in yourselves, neither do you allow those who are entering in to enter.
15 Alas for you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, hypocrites that you are! You scour land and sea to make a single convert, and, when he is gained, you make him twice as deserving of the Pit as you are yourselves. (Geenna g1067)
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites. For you travel around by sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much of a son of hell as yourselves. (Geenna g1067)
16 Alas for you, you blind guides! You say ‘if any answer by the Temple, his oath counts for nothing; but, if any one swears by the gold of the Temple, his oath is binding him’!
"Woe to you, you blind guides, who say, 'Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple, he is obligated.'
17 Fools that you are and blind! Which is the more important? The gold? Or the Temple which has given sacredness to the gold?
You blind fools. For which is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctified the gold?
18 You say, too, ‘If any one swears by the altar, his oath counts for nothing, but, if any one swears by the offering placed on it, his oath is binding on him’!
'Whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gift that is on it, he is obligated?'
19 Blind indeed! Which is the more important? The offering? or the altar which gives sacredness to the offering?
You blind people. For which is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifies the gift?
20 Therefore a man, swearing by the altar, swears by it and by all that is on it,
He therefore who swears by the altar, swears by it, and by everything on it.
21 and a man, swearing by the Temple, swears by it and by him who dwells in it,
He who swears by the temple, swears by it, and by him who dwells in it.
22 while a man, swearing by Heaven, swears by the throne of God, and by him who sits upon it.
He who swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God, and by him who sits on it.
23 Alas for you, Teachers of the Law and Pharisees, hypocrites that you are! You pay tithes on mint, fennel, and caraway seed, and have neglected the weightier matters of the Law — justice, mercy, and good faith. These last you ought to have put into practice, without neglecting the first.
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites. For you tithe mint, dill, and cumin, and have left undone the weightier matters of the Law: justice, mercy, and faith. But you ought to have done these, and not to have left the other undone.
24 You blind guides, to strain out a gnat and to swallow a camel!
You blind guides, who strain out a gnat, and swallow a camel.
25 Alas for you, Teachers of the Law and Pharisees, hypocrites that you are! You clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside they are filled with the results of greed and self-indulgence.
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites. For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but within they are full of extortion and self-indulgence.
26 You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the dish, so that the outside may become clean as well.
You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and the plate, so that the outside may become clean also.
27 Alas for you, Teachers of the Law and Pharisees, hypocrites that you are! You are like whitewashed tombs, which indeed look fair outside, while inside they are filled with dead men’s bones and all kinds of filth.
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites. For you are like whitened tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but inwardly are full of dead people's bones, and of all uncleanness.
28 It is the same with you. Outwardly, and to others, you have the look of religious men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and sin.
Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to people, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.
29 Alas for you, Teachers of the Law and Pharisees, hypocrites that you are! You build the tombs of the Prophets, and decorate the monuments of religious men,
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites. For you build the tombs of the prophets, and decorate the tombs of the righteous,
30 and say ‘Had we been living in the days of our ancestors, we should have taken part in their murder of the Prophets!
and say, 'If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.'
31 By doing this you are furnishing evidence against yourselves that you are true children of the men who murdered the Prophets.
Therefore you testify to yourselves that you are children of those who killed the prophets.
32 Fill up the measure of your ancestor’s guilt.
Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers.
You serpents, you offspring of vipers, how will you escape the judgment of hell? (Geenna g1067)
34 That is why I send you Prophets, wise men, and Teachers of the Law, some of whom you will crucify and kill, and some of whom you will scourge in your Synagogues, and persecute from town to town;
Therefore, look, I send to you prophets, wise people, and scribes. Some of them you will kill and crucify; and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues, and persecute from city to city;
35 in order that upon your heads may fall every drop of innocent ‘blood split on earth,’ from the blood of innocent Abel down to that of Zechariah, Barachiah’s son, whom you murdered between the Temple and the altar.
that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berechiah, whom you killed between the sanctuary and the altar.
36 All this, I tell you, will come home to the present generation.
Truly I tell you, all these things will come upon this generation.
37 Jerusalem! Jerusalem! She who slays the Prophets and stones the messengers sent to her — Oh, how often have I wished to gather your children round me, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not come!
"Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets, and stones those who are sent to her. How often I would have gathered your children together, even as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you would not.
38 Verily, your house is left to you desolate!
Look, your house is abandoned to you.
39 For nevermore, I tell you, shall you see me, until you say — ‘Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord!’”
For I tell you, you will not see me from now on, until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.'"
